Humulene

\hyüm-yü-lēn | Noun

A terpene classified as a monocyclic sesquiterpene and component of the essential oil from the flowering cone of the hops plant. Humulene is present in plants including cannabis in high concentrations, sometimes as high as 40 percent. The terpene is currently under exploration for its prospects as an anti-inflammatory agent with a capacity to treat allergies.

I smelled the hops in my beer and got a whiff of humulene.

Maybe my allergies will clear up if I smoke this weed with humulene in it.

More About Humulene

Humulene, along with caryophyllene and myrcene, is one of the most common terpenes to occur in cannabis. Humulene shares another connection with caryophyllene: Both are present in the hops found in beer. The therapeutic usages of humulene trace back to ancient Chinese apothecaries that employed high dosages of the terpene in their remedies. Even today, Chinese ginseng, which contains humulene, is used for many purposes, notably as an energy booster and as a natural antibiotic.

Humulene in Everyday Life

The essence of humulene is emitted into the atmosphere in a myriad of natural settings. If you’ve walked through an orange orchard in Florida, a pine forest in Vermont, or a sunflower field in Colorado, then you have had a sensory encounter with humulene. It is also present in plants such as marsh elders, tobacco and, more importantly, cannabis. Many herbs and spices also contain humulene, not limited to sage, ginseng, and coriander (cilantro), all of which have a flavorful bite and are popular in Asian cuisine. Similarly, humulene is credited for giving beer its bitter flavor, thanks to the terpene’s abundance in hops.

Therapeutic Properties of Humulene

Scientific studies have investigated whether humulene may serve anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and other medical purposes. Results have been encouraging, but further research is needed to establish a solid relationship between humulene and improved health outcomes.

Anti-inflammatory

Many terpenes present in cannabis, including citronellol, have shown promise in treating inflammatory conditions. Humulene is among the terpenes that may exhibit anti-inflammatory action, as demonstrated in a study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology, which reported that humulene and caryophyllene, as elements of Cordia verbenacea oil, “might represent important tools for the management and/or treatment of inflammatory diseases.” Further support for humulene’s health benefits were published in the British Journal of Pharmacology in 2009. This study, conducted in animals, investigated humulene’s potential to combat allergies. Interestingly, the study authors concluded that the terpene could be effective when administered orally or inhaled as an aerosol. The effectiveness of oral humulene was further confirmed by a study in the journal Planta Medeica, which also demonstrated that humulene is absorbed when it is applied topically.

Antitumor

As a component of balsam fir oil, humulene has been tested for its efficacy in fighting several types of cancerous cells. One study found that the humulene in balsam fir oil effectively kills tumor cells by turning off their antioxidant processes.

The Role of Humulene in Cannabis

Most cannabis varieties rank high in humulene and include GSC (Girl Scout Cookies), Headband, White Widow, Pink Kush, Bubba Kush, Super Lemon Haze, Sour Diesel and Skywalker OG. Similar to other terpenes, such as bisabolol, the therapeutic benefits of the humulene found in cannabis are still being studied.

Bottom Line

A prominent terpene in cannabis, humulene is distinctive for its association with the hops in beer and has shown potential in treating allergies, tumors, and particularly inflammation.